Oklahoma State University Athletics
Spotlight on Robbie Gillem
April 08, 2003 | Cowboy Football
In his final campaign as a Cowboy, senior Robbie Gillem started off the home season by scoring what proved to be the winning touchdown on Orange Peel weekend against Louisiana Tech.
"I saw the punter bobble the ball and then I saw our guy wipe him out. The ball popped out and was headed toward the end zone. One of Tech's players kicked it side ways and I was the one who was lucky enough to be there," said Gillem.
Gillem grew up in Highland Village, Texas, with his parents, Larry and Aldona, and his brother, Mark. Gillem credits his parents for making the biggest impact in his life. Gillem is a fifth-year senior majoring in fire protection and safety engineering. He plans on working in consulting for a little while after college and then wants to open his own hunting ranch. In the summers he would run a church camp, while in the fall and spring Gillem would run his ranch full of wild turkeys and deer.
The Highland Village, Texas, native has goals and ambitions like any other person. While only being married for a little over a year, he knows what it is like to be a leader.
"Robbie is a leader on and off the field," describes his wife, Nikki. "There are times in the season when I get stressed, and Robbie just tells me that when things aren't going good then we must give it to God and he will take care of it."
It is this kind of servant attitude that shapes and defines the person he is today. Growing up in a small town he understood the importance of a close-knit family and the strength of a community.
While playing in all 11 games last year Gillem understands the concept of battling for your spot. "I think the college game throws a lot of curves at you because you are always being challenged for your spot," explains Gillem. "It is never a given on who is going to be playing and who is not."
Gillem can see the similarities in football and life. He believes that in both football and life there are wins and losses and individual battles that one goes through.
While being married a little over a year, Gillem explains that married life is great. He goes on to explain that finding time to spend together is hard and stressful, maybe more on her.
"It puts a lot of strain in your life but it is great to have someone there to lean on during the good and bad times," explains Gillem. "When marriage is done right, it is a great thing, especially when Christ is the center of both of your lives."
Gillem has learned a lot about himself this year, but the biggest thing he has learned is that no matter how far you are out of God's will, his hand is always on you. And you are always in the middle of his plan no matter how far away you think you are.
In five years Gillem sees himself being a safety engineer for a company. Gillem would like to go on and have his own consulting safety firm and then on to the deer ranch. He would make all his money doing consulting work while the ranch is being run by employees so he can help make the ranch bigger.
Gillem is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, where his core group of friends are from. It is a place where he can fellowship with Christian people that believe the same things that he believes and can help him out with his daily walk.
Gillem understands that a lot of people think that FCA is just for athletes. On the contrary, FCA is for coaches, athletes and anyone influenced by athletics; so you don't have to be an athlete to go to FCA.
Gillem is in his last year of eligibility and plans on graduating in December of 2002. He and his wife do have plans for kids in the future but for now, both he and Nikki, who is currently working on her masters in speech pathology, will concentrate on completing their studies.
